He put brush to paper, flowing and elegant, in full control: “The truth is that the heart of love is the most pure, unwilling to let the beloved person or thing be tainted by even a speck of dust. Therefore, their actions were a bit extreme, but understandable.”
Cen Han gave a brief assessment: “You see things quite clearly.”
Lin Qinghe smiled slightly, his hand never stopping, gradually outlining a complete sentence. Eight large characters emerged vividly on the page.
Desire to rise, must first undergo nirvana.
“I don’t care about those criticisms.” Lin Qinghe set down his brush: “What I care about is only whether I have the strength.”
His attitude remained gentle as ever, yet inexplicably, one could feel a sharp edge, and the proud defiance of a plum blossom braving the snow.
“So, what troubles you is yourself, unrelated to others.”
“Mr. Cen understands.”
Lin Qinghe had given him many surprises. Cen Han thought to himself, without showing it, if before he had six points of appreciation, now it had become nine. People always gravitate toward beautiful things; he was no exception.
“What was the lie?”
After thinking seriously for a few seconds, Lin Qinghe cracked a joke: “Probably that I was a little sad and needed someone to comfort me.”
Cen Han very graciously laughed a few times. The formality of his suit and leather shoes gained a hint of casualness, making him appear even more handsome.
He feigned comfort, his voice gentle and low: “For dinner, have Master Chen make your favorite tofu soup.”
Lin Qinghe smiled: “That works.”
.
On the day Lin Qinghe joined the set, Li Ran led everyone in the opening ceremony. The entire team burned incense and prayed for blessings, hoping for smooth filming and high viewership.
An altar was set up dedicated to Guan Di. Fresh fruit was laid out, and roast suckling pig emitted the aroma of food. After Fan Wenbo offered incense and worshipped the deity, Li Ran unveiled the red cloth covering the cameras and announced loudly: “Action.”
To help the two lead actors quickly find their rhythm, the first scene involved both of them, starting from the first meeting between Celine and Duke Devin. Scenes prior to that would be filmed later when there was time.
After changing into his costume, Lin Qinghe sat in a corner with the script, waiting for Jiang Nian’s part to finish.
The script had become somewhat dog-eared, showing the effort he had put in. Perhaps he lacked talent, but there was a saying: diligence compensates for clumsiness, practice makes perfect. Jiang Nian had told him that talent was finite in this industry; most senior actors built their experience step by step. Even a grand figure like Su Zihan had clawed her way up in her early years, enduring much hardship.
“So diligent.” Jiang Nian was wearing a wig, slightly curly, his features sharp. He approached and said, “I still remember my first time filming. The second the camera pointed at me, my whole body stiffened completely. The director picked up his loudspeaker and yelled at me, asking if I had wandered into the wrong set, that he hadn’t asked me to play a zombie.”
Seeing Lin Qinghe laugh, Jiang Nian added: “Brother Li is very serious in his work. I’ve eaten plenty of NGs from him too. During filming, he won’t target anyone; he just wants to perfectly complete the work. Don’t feel pressured.”
Lin Qinghe nodded in response: “Thank you, Senior Brother, for your guidance.”
Jiang Nian felt that Lin Qinghe, only twenty-two, should be at the prime of youth, full of spirit and energy. But interacting with him, one found he possessed a steadiness that most peers couldn’t match. Yet this steadiness was also somewhat different from that of Xi Yan’s brother or Cen Han.
“Places, everyone! Props team, extras, where’s the set coordinator? Set coordinator!” Li Ran clapped his hands: “Jiang Nian, Little He, you two come over. Let me run through this with you first.”
“This scene is your first meeting. Jiang Nian, I want to see Devin’s wild nature. That shouldn’t be hard for you, right? Then, Little He, yours is a bit tougher. After this part, you’ll need to get in the water. You’re new to the camera. We’ll run through it once now to get familiar, and you’ll get into character quickly, alright?”
“Alright, Brother Li.”
“Good.” Li Ran was like a different person when working. He gestured toward the script, explaining to Lin Qinghe: “First shot, you’re standing in front of the glass tank, hair very wet, frowning in displeasure at this. Then reach out to touch it, the water marks disappear. Next, you look at Jiang Nian. After he finishes his lines, walk toward him barefoot—remember, slow pace. Then your turn to deliver your lines.”
“Okay, let’s try it.”
The entire set made preparations. The staff tidied Lin Qinghe’s costume. Considering it might not succeed in one take, Li Ran didn’t start filming but wanted to see Lin Qinghe’s performance first.
“Scene One, Shot One, Action!”
Lin Qinghe had analyzed Celine’s state of mind at this moment. Awakening from a deep slumber, he found the Heavenly Spirit Jade Pearl at his chest was gone. His sister Seying had left a shell transmission saying she wanted to use the pearl to heal her beloved. But since her brother remained in a coma, she feared her lover’s life wouldn’t hold out much longer. After much deliberation, she ultimately decided to borrow the pearl without permission.
But the shell message was already six months old. That meant Seying had met with misfortune and failed to fulfill her promise to return it quickly.
The Heavenly Spirit Jade Pearl came into being with Celine’s birth in Orchid Stem Land. It symbolized power, status, and strength. It acknowledged a master; only Celine could unleash its power of destruction and creation. If a human possessed it, they could be healed of terminal illnesses, extend their lifespan, and even gain some special abilities.
Without the pearl, Celine lost almost ninety percent of his Spiritual Power. Only a few self-preservation skills remained.
Thus, he embarked on a quest to find the pearl. He happened upon a cargo ship and deliberately let the curious humans lock him in a glass tank, intending to follow them to the mainland. Only he hadn’t anticipated the sudden attack by pirates coming to rob the ship.
He was the supreme deity of Orchid Stem Land, and he would only watch emotionlessly as the humans plotted their wicked schemes. A familiar aura outside the door drew his gaze. A third person had barged in.
Beauty and ugliness existed in the human world; they also existed in the world of Merfolk—the latter even more extreme. Clearly, Devin’s appearance was far more pleasing than the two pirates by more than a little. Celine quietly waited as they confronted each other. The third person killed the pirates and asked if he should send him back to—
The approach of this person lifted his mood. He felt a faint power gathering upon him, so he gently flicked his fish tail.
Perhaps the language of Merfolk and humans was not mutually understood, but Devin believed the tail flick was a form of response.
The glass tank was truly spacious, and its height wasn’t something one could easily climb. The captain had placed a wooden rack in the room. Devin’s gaze fell upon it, considering the feasibility.
Celine recovered a trace of Spiritual Power. Ripples stirred in the water. With only the sound of splashing, and before anyone could clearly see, his figure stood on the floor, barefoot, crystalline droplets of water sliding down his hair and dampening his luxurious garments.
Lin Qinghe stood tall and graceful, brows slightly furrowed. He lifted a hand to brush back a few strands of hair, and the water marks instantly vanished.
Jiang Nian entered character in a second.
Devin stroked the muzzle of his gun, his gesture as if caressing a peerless treasure. He observed everything unfolding, concluding that the matter was somewhat troublesome. This merman apparently knew some magic.
“Seems I’m not needed after all.” He glanced at the dead pirates, tilting his chin to reveal sapphire-blue eyes—sharp and captivating: “You’re free.”
His sleeve fell back, covering his fair wrist. Lin Qinghe stepped slowly toward Jiang Nian, stopping a meter away a few seconds later: “Free?”
Celine’s voice was like a layer of mist from a quiet autumn. During his time on the ship, he had practiced human speech again, but this was his first time speaking—hence the somewhat mechanical, emotionless repetition.
Devin looked at Celine. His vision suddenly blurred, his head swimming. The soles of his feet felt like stepping on unsteady soft ground. A bizarre yet intense thought rose in his mind: he wanted to take him, take him away, to a mainland without oceans.
Celine stared straight into Devin’s eyes. Just as it was about to succeed, his arm was suddenly grabbed. The tall figure leaned in, breath close at hand, a dangerous question falling by his ear: “Trying to hypnotize me?”
“Sorry.”
Jiang Nian sensed Lin Qinghe’s resistance and immediately stepped back politely.
Indeed, the title of Best Actor was not just for show. The moment the scene began, Jiang Nian was no longer Jiang Nian but the true Duke Devin. Lin Qinghe had a bit of trouble keeping up. When the other had leaned in, he had genuinely sensed danger.
“I should be the one apologizing.” Lin Qinghe shook his head: “Please, give me a moment to gather myself.”
“Okay.”
Li Ran didn’t speak; he gave Lin Qinghe ample opportunity to adjust.
Everyone on set stayed in place so as not to disturb the rehearsal.
If Celine faced this situation, his reaction should be indifferent. Lin Qinghe paced in small steps, thinking. He was Celine, the deity of the sea realm. He would not have excessive emotions, would not be discomposed, would not be pressured.
Clarifying this, the next second, he turned and said, “I’m ready.”
Staring once more into Devin’s eyes, Celine spoke slowly: “Free?”
Devin’s eyes were dazed, struggling between clarity and chaos. His sixth sense warned him something was wrong. Just in time, he snapped back, resisting Celine’s mental control. He directly grabbed Celine’s arm, dragging him off balance: “Trying to hypnotize me?”
Celine didn’t resist, as if Devin’s offense was painless. He tilted his head up, expression calm.
“The saying that Merfolk are skilled at beguiling hearts is indeed true.” Devin stroked a handful of jet-black hair, the action very gentle, but the aura around him concealed lethal intent.
Sensing that this human was angry, Celine unhurriedly extended his hand. Cool fingertips touched the space between the other’s brows: “Quiet.”
No one had ever dared treat him like this. Devin narrowed his eyes.
He released Celine, putting distance between them: “You’d best not play any little tricks. My gun isn’t so merciful.”
Celine seemed cowed by this threat, reining himself in somewhat, merely watching Devin in silence.
Devin’s intervention was already more than necessary. Unwilling to stir up more trouble or waste further time here, he turned to leave, his back without the slightest reluctance, tossing out: “Good luck.”
Behind him came faint sounds of movement, persisting until he reached the chaotic corridor stained with blood before ceasing.
Devin tugged at the corner of his mouth and quickened his pace.
But before he had gone many steps, a blue figure appeared ahead, catching him off guard.
